WI: the Enola Gay malfunctioned and bombed Honolulu instead?
- Thread starter Chungus Maximus
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marathag
Banned
Still both bomb bays. Bockscar had the Bomb in the forward bay, extra fuel tank in rear
He would have probably recognized all the American Air Corps fighters that were swarming him and radio control asking who he was. Not to mention all the US ships he would have been flying over.
Note: I don't think even a B 29 had that type of range actually.
Given the premise of this thread, "nog land" is where they'd end up, too.
So the compass fails.
And the radio fails....
Nevermind that Tibbets had been flying bombers for the last three years - you would think that in order to be a pilot he would have basic common sense to navigate via the damn sun when you notice it in the east as opposed to the west?
If you're correct they go into the water 200 kilometres short of Hawaii. Same result.
However I don't think you're correct. Silverplate B-29s had provision for extra fuel but there's no need to add fuel to Enola Gay as they know how far away their target is and how much fuel is needed to get there. https://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Usa/EnolaGay/EnolaGay.html
Yeah I dont see how professional pilots, launching a top secret mission could flyithe wrong way even with busted equipment like that. Sun would be on the wrong side, landmarks wouldn't be where they were supposed to be, rendezvous fighters wouldn't be there etc. Also while Japan is an island, it's still a huge country, Hawaii is much, much smaller. You can't really make that mistake and that's all assuming they dont run out of fuel on the way.
More to the point, even with the extra range from the Silverplate mods, the distance to Hawaii is not just right at the very margins of range (i.e. one way) but well in excess of the combat radius (i.e. there and able to get home) of a B-29. That means they drop the bomb after flying for at least twice as long as they intended... All the planes' compasses buggering up is one thing, not a single watch or clock (or crews' vague sense of time) aboard any of the three aircraft working is quite another.
For the OP, want a semi-believable (i.e. only high improbable, not physically impossible) absolute fuck up? Have Enola Gay accidentally hit an allied base on Okinawa...
This thread is superb
I am planning to create one called "Army group North Accidently attacks Berlin instead of Poland"
I am planning to create one called "Army group North Accidently attacks Berlin instead of Poland"
Deleted member 114175
It's possible. Stalin malfunctioned and accidentally attacked the Old Bolsheviks instead of Germany.This thread is superb
I am planning to create one called "Army group North Accidently attacks Berlin instead of Poland"
His crew (and the other planes) were possessed by the Loc-Nar and turned into zombies.
(♬ gonna take a ride, ride, ride, on heavy metal...)
I think it's been made pretty clear that there is simply no way the Enola Gay could have bombed Honolulu instead of Hiroshima So how about a different 'mistake' target? Like Tokyo. Still incredibly unlikely, but suppose the bomb was dropped on Tokyo and the Emperor was killed. How would THAT change things?
So how about a different 'mistake' target? Like Tokyo. Still incredibly unlikely, but suppose the bomb was dropped on Tokyo and the Emperor was killed. How would THAT change things?
Depends on how you define "bomb bay". The Silverplate removed the seperate doors and partition. Seperate attachments remained though.
"Alright men, let's do this thing. Drop the bomb now."
"Um, sir?"
"Yes, yes what is it?"
"Are you sure this is the right place?"
"Of course its the right place! Why on Earth wouldn't it be the right place?"
"Well um, isn't Hiroshima a city full of Japs? This look like a beach and those folks don't look like Japs"
"You make a good point. But if we don't head back now I'll have to miss The Adventures of Superman. Just drop the damn bomb, what's the worst that could happen?"
"Um, sir?"
"Yes, yes what is it?"
"Are you sure this is the right place?"
"Of course its the right place! Why on Earth wouldn't it be the right place?"
"Well um, isn't Hiroshima a city full of Japs? This look like a beach and those folks don't look like Japs"
"You make a good point. But if we don't head back now I'll have to miss The Adventures of Superman. Just drop the damn bomb, what's the worst that could happen?"
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